Tampa Bay Rays news and links: Durham wins league again

The Rays won a close one, yesterday, on the back of a pair of great defensive plays by Kevin Kiermaier. Rays Radio has good interviews with Alex Cobb, Steve Cishek, Kiermaier, Sergio Romo, and Kevin Cash:

Highlights include Cishek saying, “I don’t deserve to have the win in the column. Obviously Kiermaier does, and the rest of the bullpen.”

Also, Cobb was NOT HAPPY about the fact he was throwing balls:

A lot of deep counts, I know there was only one walk, but I mean, I don’t know how many three-two counts there were, but it sure felt like every batter just about as many balls I could throw to them I did . . . that is just not a good recipe for team success going down the road . . .

Feeling the way I felt out there, I know I can hone that all in and take care of business when I get a little bit more reputation—reputi—repet—repetitions throughout the week.

Your reputation as a strike thrower is fine, Alex.

Links

• Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors broke down what might happen if the Rays turn into late-season waiver-trade sellers.
• The Durham Bulls have had quite the run of success. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the Rays being slow to call up their top prospects . . .

• Eno Sarris wrote a really good article on the mechanics of hitting, and on what it means to “get in front of the ball.”
• For those of you who didn’t go in for the pay-per-view, Bless You Boys broke down the Tigers-Yankees match.
• Continuing the Tigers talk, David Laurila talked to former-Ray Mikie Mahtook about how being healthy and getting playing time has helped him get his swing to a better place.
• Here is your reminder that in baseball, there is a lot of noise. Take it, and don’t use advanced stats to say foolish things.